The invention relates to a scooter with a foot rest arrangement.
For motorcycles or motorcycle-like vehicles, such as two or more-wheeled scooters (in the following also referred to as motorized scooters or merely scooters), different versions of foot rests are known to offer the driver the possibility of a secure and comfortable footing during travel.
Small foot rests that are laterally attached to the vehicle and can be folded out when in use are mostly employed for motorcycles.
By contrast, a comparatively large foot rest for the feet of the driver is available in the case of motorized scooters, which foot rest is usually arranged almost parallel or slightly angled relative to the road surface. This foot rest is located between a handlebar region and a driver's seat or is laterally integrated on the motorized scooter. A corresponding arrangement is known, for example, from DE 196 29 879 A1.
Such foot rest surfaces however have the characteristic that they are ergonomically suitable only for an upright or forward-leaning sitting position of the driver and require a correspondingly perpendicular or at least approximately perpendicular positioning of the lower legs of the driver regarding a vehicle longitudinal direction. However, these geometrical configurations can only be fulfilled for drivers of medium stature. By contrast, the ergonomical utilization of the vehicle is negatively affected in the case of very large or very small drivers.
A foot rest arrangement for both a driver and also a passenger is also known from DE 699 285 94 T2. The same extends between the handlebar region and a rear wheel region with a height that rises in this direction so that an ergonomical sitting position is difficult to realize.
In addition to the ergonomical aspects, the arrangement and embodiment of the foot rest fundamentally plays a safety-relevant part. Accordingly, the driver for stopping the vehicle has to initially lift the feet off the foot rest and try to make contact with the ground laterally to the foot rest in order to support the feet. Depending on body height of the driver and size of the foot rests, this can mean that the driver touches the road surface merely with the tips of his toes and stability is thus substantially restricted. In addition there is the risk that when tilting the vehicle, the foot of the driver is trapped between the road surface and the foot rest.
The mentioned disadvantages are likewise relevant in motorized scooters or scooters which have a sitting arrangement in which the seat and the sitting position are already designed for improved ergonomics. These also include, in particular, corresponding vehicles which are equipped with a “decoupled” steering arrangement. With these vehicles, a steerable front wheel guide is rotatably mounted about a first axis of rotation and a steering column rotatable about a second axis of rotation, wherein the steering column and the front wheel guide are arranged spaced from one another. Shown differently, the first and the second axis of rotation are thus orientated non-coaxially. A transmission of a steering movement is effected via a transmission means which connects the steering column with the front wheel guide in an operatively coupled manner.
An object of the invention therefore is to create a foot rest arrangement with which the mentioned disadvantages can be at least partly reduced, in particular to create as ergonomical as possible a foot rest arrangement for a motorized vehicle, such as a scooter with “decoupled” steering.
This and other objects are achieved with a motorized scooter or scooter in accordance with embodiments of the invention.
Accordingly, a scooter is provided, having a foot rest arrangement comprising a left foot rest surface and a right foot rest surface, and having a steerable front wheel guide which is rotatably mounted in a head tube about a first axis of rotation, and a steering column that is rotatable about a second axis of rotation, wherein the steering column and the front wheel guide are arranged spaced from one another and are operatively coupled to one another for transmitting a steering movement. The second axis of rotation intersects the foot rest arrangement at an intersection point in such a way that the left and right foot rest surfaces are each arranged laterally with respect to the intersection point.
The scooter thus has a “decoupled” steering arrangement, with which the first axis of rotation of the front wheel guide is arranged non-coaxially relative to the second axis of rotation of the steering column. For example, in contrast with usual, direct steering arrangements of known motorized scooters, this steering arrangement offers the fundamental possibility of defining a wheel base of the scooter and thus a sitting position of the driver to suit requirement. In particular, the wheel base can be selected to be longer than in comparison with usual steering arrangements of known motorized scooters, as a result of which a vehicle concept with a particularly ergonomical and yet safe sitting position for the driver can be provided. The driver can assume an upright or even a (viewed in vehicle longitudinal direction or travelling direction) reclined sitting position. In order to securely support the feet of the driver during this, the two foot rest surfaces are provided in the region of the intersection point. In the process, their arrangement laterally (i.e. left or right) regarding the second axis of rotation, i.e. the axis of rotation of the steering column, makes possible a particularly advantageous, ergonomical sitting position.
The second axis of rotation defines a straight line which intercepts the foot rest arrangement or a surface of the foot rest arrangement in the point of intersection. To both sides of the point of intersection, based on a vehicle longitudinal direction, left and right of the point of intersection, the left and the right foot rest surfaces are arranged respectively. The point of intersection can be defined by the second axis of rotation either purely virtually or as an actual point of intersection of a mounting rotatably receiving the steering column, for example of a tube section of a vehicle structure. In the case of the tube section, the same can be connected to the foot rest arrangement and extend away from the same in order to rotatably receive the steering column or the handlebar at a distal end.
At any rate it is ensured that the two foot rest surfaces or the entire foot rest arrangement are located behind the head tube of the scooter.
According to preferred embodiments, the first and second axes of rotation are orientated spaced parallel from one another or crossing one another.
Furthermore, the foot rest arrangement in a first section can be configured extending from the point of intersection in the direction of the head tube, in particular, the foot rest arrangement with a front end can be connected to the head tube. Accordingly, at least the first section of the foot rest arrangement is arranged between the point of intersection and the head tube, and thus substantially in front of the handlebar. The optional connection of the foot rest arrangement with the head tube makes possible a particularly large or long configuration of the foot rest arrangement including the left and right foot rest surfaces as a function of the distance of the head tube from the point of intersection. With the help of the elongated foot rest arrangement provided in this manner, a particularly advantageous, free positioning of feet is possible for greatly differing driver statures even with the sitting position remaining the same.
Alternatively or in addition, the foot rest arrangement in a second section can extend from the point of intersection in the direction of a vehicle rear of the scooter. Accordingly, the foot rest arrangement or the left and right foot rest surfaces of the same can be expanded in the vehicle longitudinal direction in the direction of the vehicle rear, i.e. against the travelling direction. This means that the second section merely extends in the direction of the vehicle rear or as far as to the vehicle rear.
In any case, an elongated foot rest arrangement is provided in this manner which makes possible a free positioning of the driver's foot. In conjunction with the optional first section, this is additionally improved once again.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the first section of the foot rest arrangement is arranged tilted by a first angle and/or the second section of the foot rest arrangement by a second angle regarding the vehicle longitudinal direction of the same or regarding the travelling direction. Thus, either the first section or the second section (or both) can be orientated jointly tilted relative to a road surface or relative to the vehicle longitudinal direction. Moreover, the first angle and the second angle can be selected to be identical or different in size, in particular the first angle can be greater than the second angle so that the first section has a greater inclination than the second section.
With the help of the tilted first and/or second section, increased ergonomics for the driver can be achieved on the one hand since the feet of the driver are not positioned parallel to the vehicle longitudinal axis or to a road surface. Instead, the inclination makes possible a flat and (at least partly) stretched positioning of the legs of the driver and thus a correspondingly deep and reclined sitting position of the driver, provided such is desired.
The respective angling however also results in that at least the first section as a protective shield is arranged behind the front wheel of the scooter as a result of which crash safety is significantly increased. In the case of a head-on crash, the front wheel is pushed against the first section, more precisely against the lower side of the same and deflected in the direction of the road surface or under the vehicle. With suitable strength, the foot rest arrangement prevents a further movement of the front wheel in the direction of the driver and his legs. A risk of injury is thus clearly reduced. In addition, the first section and/or the second section can also act as dirt deflectors against swirled-up dirt during normal operation.
Furthermore, the left and the right foot rest surface can be connected to one another in order to define a common rest surface of the foot rest arrangement.
Furthermore, the point of intersection with respect to the vehicle longitudinal direction and/or with respect to a vehicle transverse direction of the scooter can be substantially arranged in the middle of the common rest surface. By way of this it is ensured that the steering column in its extension (which is defined by the second axis of rotation) is arranged in the middle above the common rest surface. This arrangement offers a particular flexibility for a wide range of driver body heights without special adjusting devices for the individual geometry change on the vehicle, such as for example a handlebar adjustment, having to be provided.
In addition, a vehicle structure following a rear end of the foot rest arrangement can have a smaller width than a maximum width of the foot rest arrangement. This means that the foot rest arrangement, at least at its widest point (i.e. at the point of maximum width) has a greater width than the vehicle structure that is arranged behind the foot rest arrangement. Thus, when the driver takes his feet off the foot rest surfaces, he can laterally rest the feet in the region of the vehicle structure arranged behind the foot rest arrangement. Because of the smaller width of the vehicle structure, the feet can be positioned near the vehicle as a result of which the driver retains a secure footing, in contrast with a footing on tiptoes that is usual with motorized scooters because of the greater width of the vehicle and of its foot rests. In addition, the driver can reach the road in a very short time in that he simply retracts his feet to the back off the foot rest surfaces, lowering them in the direction of the road surface in order to prevent for example falling-over.
Should a lateral falling-over of the scooter occur despite this, the described foot rest arrangement, because of its greater width, offers the advantage that the same acts as crash bar. When the scooter lies on one of its vehicle sides, a safe free space or protected space remains for the foot and the leg of the driver in the region of the narrower vehicle structure so that trapping of the foot or of the calf in this region can be prevented.
According to one embodiment, the foot rest arrangement comprises a tubular frame arrangement which forms at least one lateral enclosure of the foot rest arrangement, in particular of the left and/or right foot rest surfaces. Such a tubular frame arrangement offers an additional stability for the entire foot rest arrangement and can accordingly act as a protection or crash bar. Preferentially, the tubular frame arrangement laterally encloses the two foot rest surfaces in order to protect these from damage and create and retain if required the described protective space.
In addition, the tubular frame arrangement can have a left or a right tube element which are each connected to one another with a front end in the region of the head tube and/or to the head tube.
In addition, the left and the right tube element can each have a rear end which is connected to the vehicle structure of the scooter. The two tube elements thus constitute an extension of the vehicle structure into the foot rest arrangement or connect the vehicle structure and the foot rest arrangement with one another. Preferentially, a vehicle frame defining the vehicle structure and at least the two tube elements or the entire tubular frame arrangement are joined in one piece to form a common component.
Furthermore, the scooter can preferably be a two-wheeled, three-wheeled or four-wheeled scooter.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.